A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS of SELECTED SOLO REPERTOIRE for SAXOPHONE by PAUL BONNEAU Keith T
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A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF SELECTED SOLO REPERTOIRE FOR SAXOPHONE BY PAUL BONNEAU Keith T. Johnson, B.M., M.M. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS August 2002 APPROVED: James Riggs, Major Professor and Chair James Gillespie, Co-Major Professor Gene Cho, Minor Professor John Scott, Chair of the Doctor of Musical Arts Committee, Dean of the School of Music C. Neal Tate, Dean of the Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies 1 Johnson, Keith T., A theoretical analysis of selected solo repertoire for saxophone by Paul Bonneau. Doctor of Musical Arts, (Saxophone Performance), August 2002, 118 pp., 98 musical examples, references, 44 titles. The primary purpose of this dissertation is to provide greater insight into the compositional design of Paul Bonneau’s Caprice en forme de valse solo pour saxophone and the Piece Concertante Dans L’Esprit “Jazz” pour saxophone alto et piano through a detailed analysis of the pieces. Paul Bonneau’s Caprice en forme de valse is a major work for saxophone. It has been referred to as one of the most technically demanding works in the classical saxophone repertoire. In addition, the Caprice has been transcribed for the flute, clarinet and bassoon. In fact, the Caprice has been designated as “one of the most musically cohesive unaccompanied works written for any wind instrument.” Bonneau’s Piece Concertante Dans L’Esprit “Jazz” is also an important work in the repertoire due to its high degree of virtuosity and unique fusion of traditional classical and jazz elements. The analysis process focuses initially on the fundamental elements of music. Each analysis begins with an outline and description of the formal design of the piece. Major sections and their various subdivisions are detailed specifically. The tonal organization of the piece is presented. Large scale tonal areas are identified along with detailed discussions pertaining to specific harmonic structures. Due to the nature of the harmonic content of the pieces, standard contemporary chord symbol nomenclature is used. A table detailing various chord types and their associated symbols is provided. Information regarding the character and construction of Bonneau’s melodies is presented. Items pertaining to melody include the use of step progressions, the variation principle, canonic effects and sequence. Basic rhythmic characteristics are outlined, as well. In addition to items related to the harmonic, melodic and rhythmic organization of pitches, other aspects of the music such as texture, articulation, dynamics and tessitura are integrated into the analytical discussion. Specific comments regarding the application of analytical conclusions to performance practice are presented following the analysis of the pieces. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my Major Professor Jim Riggs, Dissertation Committee Members James Gillespie and Gene Cho, and the Doctor of Musical Arts Committee Chair, John Scott, and Christopher Glenn at Kinkos and To my Parents, Neal and Sandra Johnson ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES iv Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION 1 Purpose Literature Review Paul Bonneau: Brief Biographical Sketch Overview of Bonneau’s Works for Saxophone 2. ANALYSIS OF THE Caprice en forme de valse 10 Form/Tonal Design Melodic Structures Rhythmic Characteristics Dynamics, Articulation and Tessitura Summary of the Analysis of the Caprice en forme de valse 3. ANALYSIS OF THE Piece Concertante Dans L’Esprit “Jazz” 40 Form/Tonal Design Harmonic Organization Melodic Structures Thematic Interrelationships Common Intervallic Constructions and Interrelationships Rhythm Other Aspects of Sound: Dynamics, Articulation, and Texture Summary of Analysis of Piece Concertante Dans L’Esprit “Jazz” 4. APPLICATION OF ANALYTICAL PRINCIPALS TO PERFORMANCE 78 Caprice en forme de valse The Piece Concertante Dans L’Esprit“Jazz” Concluding Statement APPENDIX A 99 APPENDIX B 100 APPENDIX C 102 APPENDIX D 105 BIBLIOGRAPHY 108 iii Table of Musical Examples Example 2.1. mm. 1-4. C# major tonic sonority with added ninth in the A theme. Example 2.2. mm. 5-8. Dominant functioning sonorities in the A theme. Example 2.3. mm. 25-28. Dominant functioning sonorities in the B theme. Example 2.4. mm. 59-66. Implied harmonic structure in the C theme created by three and four note arpeggiated grace note groupings. Example 2.5. J. S. Bach/arr. Jean Marie Londiex - Suite Number III pour saxophone seul, Sarabande, mm. 5-8. Example 2.6. mm. 81-82. E lydian-mixolydian scale. Example 2.7. mm. 90-92. Implied dominant harmony emphasized through rhythmic placement of chord tones on strong beats within a chromatic scalular passage. Example 2.8. mm. 177-184. Extended sixty fourth note arpeggiations on ninth chords. Example 2.9. mm. 209-215. Whole tone pattern beginning and ending on the dominant pitch. Example 2.10. mm. 1-6, 17-24. Stepwise melodic patterns in the A theme. Example 2.11. mm. 25-29. Stepwise chromatic motion in the B theme. Example 2.12. mm. 45-47. Stepwise chromatic descent in the B theme. Example 2.13. mm. 59-64. Stepwise descending pattern in the C theme. Example 2.14. mm. 83-88. Variation on the C theme incorporating a stepwise melodic descent. Example 2.15. mm. 185-193. Chromatic stepwise melodic figures employing contrary motion. Example 2.16. mm. 93-98. Variation on the D theme. Example 2.17. mm.29-32, 37-40. Encircling of chord tones through upper and lower neighbor figures in Bb and C major. Example 2.18. mm. 101-103. Grace note figures involving major and minor thirds. Example 2.19. mm. 7-8, 15-16. Transitional passages involving diminished and dominant ninth patterns. Example 2.20. mm. 127-130, 135-138, 173-177, 209-215. Symmetrical patterns found in transitional passages. Example 2.21. mm. 1-8. Ascending and descending patterns in the A theme. Example 2.22. mm. 237-240. Final use of echo effect. Example 2.23. mm. 231-234. Prolonged trill on dominant pitch immediately following the climactic point of the piece. Example 2.24. mm. 1-2. Interval of a twelfth separated by one measure. Example 2.25. m. 45 Two octaves and a major second separated by one and a half beats. iv Example 2.26. m. 65. Two octaves and a major second separated by only two grace notes. Example 2.27. m. 75. Two octaves and a perfect fourth directly adjacent to one another. Example 3.1. mm. 1-16. A theme. Example 3.2. mm. 17-36. B theme. Example 3.3. mm. 59-62. C theme. Example 3.4. mm. 71-74. D theme. Example 3.5. mm. 159-162. E theme. Example 3.6. mm. 163-166. Contrasting phrase in the E theme. Example 3.7. mm. 243-250. F theme. Example 3.8. mm. 259-266. Transitional melodic elements. Example 3.9. mm. 19-20. Chromatic planing of minor/ major seventh sonorities. Example 3.10. mm. 374-375. Major triads over bass notes a major third below. Example 3.11. m.10. Chord Cluster. Example 3.12. mm. 152-153. Arpeggiation forming a Db13(#11#9b9). Example 3.13. mm. 154-156. Parallel planing of dominant seventh sharp nine chords on the E theme. Example 3.14. m. 330. Combined tritones forming a diminished sonority. Example 3.15. mm. 405-406. Whole tone cluster. Example 3.16. m.182. Polychords. Major seventh chords over major triads a semitone above. Example 3.17. mm. 117-118. Concert C major melodic material in the saxophone and right hand of the piano over a concert Db7 sonority. Example 3.18. mm. 84-95. Polytonality. Simultaneous presentation of three key areas. Example 3.19. C major scale, C major pentatonic scale, A blues scale. Example 3.20. Eb major scale, Eb major pentatonic, C blues scale Example 3.21. mm. 11-15. Chromatic scales in the context of diminished patterns. Example 3.22. mm. 200-201 Octatonic/ Diminished Scale. Example 3.23. mm. 1-2. Motive one in the A theme. Example 3.24. m. 27. Motive one in the B theme. Example 3.25. mm. 19-20 Variant of motive one in the B theme. Example 3.26. mm. 59, 63. Motive one in the C theme. Example 3.27. mm. 189, 193. Motive one in the piano accompaniment to the E theme. Example 3.28. mm. 374-377. Motive one in the piano solo. Example 3.29. m. 438. Motive one in the final phrase of the piece. Example 3.30. m. 4-5. Motive two in the A theme. Example 3.31. mm. 7-8. Motive two in rhythmic diminution in the A theme. Example 3.32. mm. 192, 194, 195 and 196. Motive two in the E theme. Example 3.33. mm. 14-15. A chromatic version of motive two can be found at the end of the A theme. Example 3.34. m. 20. Motive two in the B theme. Example 3.35. mm. 73-74, 59-60, 243-246. Interrelationship of melodic materials between the C, D and F themes. v Example 3.36. mm. 67-70. Motive two melodically outlining a diminished sonority . Example 3.37. m.159. Opening minor third interval of the E theme. Example 3.38. mm. 318-343. Melodic sequence by minor thirds containing E, D and F theme elements. Example 3.39. mm. 73-74. Tritone intervals in the D theme. Example 3.40. mm. 143-146. Minor third interval between the piano and saxophone. Example 3.41. mm. 73-74. Tritone interval between the piano and saxophone. Example 3.42. mm. 147-150. Right and left hands of the piano separated by a minor third interval. Example 3.43. mm. 358-361. Right and left hands of the piano separated by a tritone interval.